Display and selling device.



F. H. RUSSELL.

DISPLAY AND SELLING DEVICE.

lil'll 'll APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21- l9l5- 1,227,323. Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

tllilr/ amwwtoz F l-Lfiussell RUSSELL DISPLAY AND SELLING DEVICE APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2!. I915.

Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- awlmwtoz FHRuasell l vi/bneooeo Gblio mmw FRANKLIN H. RUSSELL, OF HOLLANDALE, MISSISSIPPI.

DISPLAY AND SELLING DEVICE.

Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Application filed October 21, 1915. Serial No. 57.088.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN H. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hollandale, in the county of Washington and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display and Selling Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a display stand or container, and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this character of such form as will be cheap and simple in construction and one which will hold fruits, vegetables, produce, etc., therein, and will prevent injury or pilfering therefrom, as well as forming an attractive display device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display stand or container having means whereby the said container may be tilted to facilitate the removal of goods therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slidable bottom in said container or stand which will be held in position by means of spring actuated pawls, whereby upon the sale or removal of material from the top of the container, the same may be tilted and the bottom pressed upward to force the material in the body of the said container to the top, thereby obviating the necessity of replacing the used material by fresh, until the entire container is empty.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and one which will be very eflicient in operation.

With these and numerous other objects in View, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be herein re ferred to and more particularly pointed out in the appended specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device;

Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles thereto;

Fig. 3 shows my im roved device swung so as to pour the material therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of my improved device;

Fi 8 is a detail sectional view of the adusta le bottom applied to this device.

In describing my invention I shall refer to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the several views and in which the numeral 1 designates a rectangular base frame formed of pipes and connections and having a pair of vertical pipes that form arms 4, projecting from two opposite sides of the frame at 3. Secured to the upper ends of the arms 4 are outturned elbows in which are positioned handles 5, and said elbows have alinin apertures 6 therein for a purpose to be ereinafter more fully described. The base frame is provided at its connections with depending legs 2.

A container 7 which is formed of any preferred kind of foraminous material, for instance, a sheet of wire of any desired size of mesh, is made cylindrical in shape and has its upper and lower ends 9 and 10 open. A band 11 surrounds the portions of the said cylinder adjacent its open ends for the purpose of strengthening the same as will be obvious.

The container 7 is provided with a domeshaped cover 12 which is preferably made of the same material as the container and which is hinged at 13 to the wall of the upper open end to form a closure for the container. The cover 12 is also provided with a catch or look 14 to hold the same in closed position over the top of the container.

Extending transversely through the container, adjacent its upper end is a bearing rod 15 having its two ends 16 projecting laterally therefrom and adapted to project through the apertures 6 in the upper ends of the vertical supporting arms 4, whereby the container 7 is pivotally mounted between the said arms. Spacing members 17 are positioned between the container and the arms 4 on the ends 16 of the bearing rod 15 to space the said container centrally between the said supporting arms.

At diametrically opposite points on the inner surfaces of the container, are a pair of rack bars 18 which extend longitudinally the entire length of the container, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The container 7 is provided with an adjustablecircula-r bottom 19 which has its outer wall notched as at 20 to slidably engage the rack bars 18 to prevent any rotary movement of the bottom in the container. The lower surface 21 of the bottom 19 is provided with a diametrically extending slot 22 that has its opposite ends terminating in the notches 20 in the outer wall of the bottom. A pair of right-angular locking pawls 23 have their horizontal sections 24 slidably disposed in the said slot and their outer free ends 26 adapted to project beyond the notches 20 at the ends of the said slot, under pressure of a helical spring 28 that is positioned between the depending vertical portions 25 of the locking pawls 23. The projecting ends 26 of the spring pressed locking pawls are adapted to engage with the teeth on the rack bars 18 in the container to hold the bottom in any pre ferred adjusted position therein for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter described.

In operation, when the parts of the container or stand are assembled, the bottom 19 of the same is positioned adjacent its lower end, and the cover 12 is swung back so that the container may be filled with fruit, vegetables, or produce as desired. The cover 12, after the container has been filled, is swung back in closed position and held there by the lock or latch member 14.

When thus filled, this stand or container forms an attractive display device for the material, that can be arranged along the sides of a counter or in front of the store to be readily observed by the customer and furthermore, the material contained therein will be protected from theft.

When it is desired to remove some of the contents of the container, the cover 12 of the same is swung back and the container tilted so that the contents may be readily poured therefrom. After a sufficient quantity has been removed, if it is not desired to refill the container with fresh material, the same is swung back into vertical position and the cover 12 swung over the top to close the same, and then it is tilted back and the adjustable bottom 19 moved forward in the container until the contents therein have been moved to the top where they will be retained when the container is swung back to its normal vertical position. This'operation obviates the necessity of refilling the container constantly with fresh fruit or vegetables when the top layer has been used, which is a great advantage in devices of this character.

The bottom 19 in the container is slidably 'adjustable on the rack bars 18 on the inner surfaces of the container and held in any desired adjustable position by means of the spring pressed pawls 23 in the bottom thereof. The vertical depending portions of the right angular pawls 23 are adapted to form an easy gripping means whereby the operator may grasp the same and draw them toward each other, and withdrawing the free ends of the pawls from engagement with the teeth of the rack bars 18. When the bottom is moved to the desired position, the said vertical portions are released and the helical spring 28 will force the pawls back to their normal position, that is, into engagement with the rack bars 18. Fastening straps 27 position the horizontal portions of the pawls in the slot 22.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved device and the manner of applying the same to use, the operation will be readily understood, and it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive, and eflicient means for carrying out the objects of this invention.

While I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction, may be resorted to, within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of an upright supporting stand, a receptacle open at both ends, means for pivotally supporting said receptacle in said stand on a transverse pivotal axis arranged adjacent to one of the open ends of said receptacle, a swinging cover mounted on the end of said receptacle nearest to said pivotal axis, and a bottom member for said receptacle adjustable longitudinally therein from one of its open ends to a point adjacent to the other end, whereby when the cover is in closed position and the receptacle inverted said bottom may be adjusted downwardly into contact with the contents of the receptacle and when thus adjusted and the receptacle restored to its normal position said bottom will hold the contents of the receptacle in its upper portion and immediately beneath said cover.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of an upright supporting stand, provided at opposite points nearest its top with bearings, acylindrical recep-' tacle made of woven wire and having open ends reinforced by annular bands, bars arranged at diametrically opposite points on the inner face of the woven wire body of the receptacle and having their ends united to said bands to reinforce the body, said bars being formed at a point adjacent one end with alined pivot openings and upon their inner faces with longitudinal series of seats, a bottom for the receptacle movable longitudinally therein 'and carrying movable projections to engage said seats to adjustably position the bottom, and a pivot rod passed transversely through the receptacle and said pivot openings in the bars and having its ends rotatably mounted in said bearings.

3. A device of the class described comprising a base frame formed of pipes and connections and having a pair of vertically upright pipes projecting upwardly therefrom at its opposite sides, outwardly projecting elbows on the upper ends of said upright pipes, handles positioned in the outer ends of the same, said elbows having alining apertures therein to form bearings,

and a container with a horizontal bearing rod or axle positioned between said pipes and having projecting ends on the axle adapted for positioning in the bearings.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 

